Hello 2017 - Part 3: Planner and a Journal

Hello there! Welcome back to the last installment of my "Hello 2017" series. I'm still not quite sure how one post turned into a series, but it did. I previously chatted about my 2017 reading challenges and the my goals for the year. So far, I'm doing pretty good. Knock on wood...

This time I want to chat about two of my new favorite blogging/reading toys - my 2017 planner and Book Whore journal. I have always been a big planner person, from when I was in college scheduling assignments to now when I'm scheduling blog posts. I love to write things down and I've always used a physical planner. When I first started my blog in 2012, I used a smaller personal/student sized planner. And while that worked, it really did not give me enough room to write everything down. Then I moved on to full sized planners and although my first full sized planner didn't quite work out for me, I loved the size. It gives me more room to work with and it doesn't feel cramped. Plus it stands out more and is easier to keep track of. I adored the planner I used last year, but I wanted a bit of a change for 2017. That's where my new planner came in.

I have been eyeing Erin Condren planners for a couple years now. As much as I would love to own one, they are pricey and not something I would splurge on. Then came the Happy Planner from Me and My Big Ideas. I immediately wanted one. Sadly, wanting one was much easier than actually finding one. Fast forward to late last year when I got this pretty planner for Christmas. It was love at first sight. Now I have plenty of room to track everything that I wanted. And, if I'm feeling creative, I can decorate it too. It's a tad bigger than my previous planners and much thicker, but I'm loving it so far and I think it'll keep me productive all year long.

Now if you're wondering how I decorate it. I just do simple decorating for author events (like the California Dreamin' Reader Event in Brea, CA). I also bought motivation stickers, as well as lots of colorful functional stickers, to keep me on top of my game this year. Plus I also make my own super simple blog post stickers.

My last toy was a gift from my friend and fellow romance lover. I fell in love with the Book Whore journal from the moment I saw it on Amazon. I had been searching high and low for this exact type of journal to keep track of my favorite books for the year. What makes the Book Whore journal awesome is that it has pages to write down book boyfriends, music you come across in books, favorite authors, etc. It is perfect! And it is my project for the year. My goal is to use it as sort of a Wreck-It Journal, romance edition. It'll be my keepsake yearbook for 2017 and I am so looking forward to it. I'm thinking about doing a monthly (or every other month) update on the progress I've made in it. If that is something you'd like to see, leave a comment and I'll keep you posted.

Those are my two new favorite toys for 2017. Do you use a planner that you love? Have you picked up the Book Whore journal? Leave a comment and let's chat!